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There are several documents that all people should include in their estate plans. These documents are: a last will and testament, durable power of attorney, living will, designation of health care surrogate, and designation of preneed guardian. Last will and...

If you are a small business owner in Florida, you need to have an estate plan. In the probate process, the treatment and distribution of an ownership interest in a small business can be complex and expensive. Depending on the structure and business type, the business...

In Florida probate administrations, one of the major sticking points, if there is one, is usually the accounting. This is especially true when there is a contested formal probate administration or when the beneficiaries lack trust in the personal representative. The...

If you are licensed by FINRA, there is no doubt that you are familiar with the broad investigation powers that FINRA possesses if there is a suspicion of wrongdoing. However, if you are licensed by FINRA and working in Florida, you are very likely to also be licensed...

One of the questions that we commonly are asked by clients and potential clients is whether they should make payments on their deceased loved one’s debts either before probate is started or while the probate process is ongoing. Some people believe that all of a...

When we are helping clients design their Florida estate plan, one of the most common questions that we receive is whether the person should include specific items of tangible personal property in the will itself. Usually, our recommendation is that items of high...

The nature of practicing in estate planning and probate means spending time around people who are often of advanced age. One of the most common phrases we hear is “I really need to take care of my will” (usually followed by not taking care of their will). Current...

Florida Medicaid planning is a complex undertaking. If you read our previous post about Medicaid planning in Florida, you know that it is crucial to have a plan for funding skilled nursing care, such as care in a nursing home. We create Medicaid plans for people...

One of the problems that occurs in a Florida probate case is that the decedent (person who passed away) had a safe deposit box. Sometimes, the decedent stored his or her will in the safe deposit box. Other times, the personal representative in the probate needs to...

One of the concerns we have as our family members age is how a family member will be able to pay for nursing home care if he or she needs it. Depending on the source, in 2018 the average cost of nursing home care in Florida is approximately $9,171.00 per month. Many...

The spousal elective share in Florida can be a confusing issue in a Florida probate case. Adding to the complexity is the rare occurrence of elective share issues in Florida probate cases. Typically in a situation where the decedent (the person who died) leaves a...

The holidays is a time of year when people are most likely to make time to see each other. Families gather and spend a lot of time together. We also tend to feel our most generous around the holidays. To some people this may be the perfect time to tell their...

When a loved one’s estate is involved in a Florida probate administration, you may be curious about what will happen to your loved one’s home after he or she passed away. If the home was only titled in the decedent’s (the person who passed away) name, then the...

It's pretty common to see spouses name each other in their estate planning documents. In Florida, a married couple has the option to create joint wills together. But what happens if you and your spouse have a joint will and other estate planning documents...

When planning for the future, many people tend to think about retirement, savings, and investments. While those things are important to consider and to plan for, one thing tends to get looked over a lot more often than you would think. Estate planning documents,...

The passing of Aretha Franklin recently made major headline news. The “Queen of Soul” singer/song writer career spanned over decades and amassed a rather large estate. According to a reporting by Celebrity Net Worth, Ms. Franklin left behind an estate worth...

After you lose a loved one, there are many decisions that you need to make in order to carry out your loved one’s wishes. If your loved one had a will or owned certain assets at the time of death, such as a house, car, boat, bank accounts, or investment accounts...

A common question that we receive when talking to potential clients about doing an estate plan for is “Why should I pay more to use you guys instead of LegalZoom?” This is a legitimate question. As of the date of publishing this post, LegalZoom offers an estate plan...